High Court Judge Justice Vincent Perera will sentence 43-year-old former police officer Michael Shalendra Pratap today.
Pratap has been found guilty of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
He raped a 17‑year‑old girl between 5pm to 5.30pm on 22nd January in Suva last year.
Pratap’s lawyer Mohammed Yunus asked for a concurrent sentence saying that Pratap is paying for his house and he has no previous convictions.
His lawyer also stated that Pratap was remanded for thirty days and that there is no relationship between the accused and the victim and there is no breach of trust.
Meanwhile DPP lawyer Meli Vosawale told the court that the offence committed is serious and a clear message should be sent to the public that this type of the offence will not be tolerated.
Vosawale says police officers must protect and uphold the law and not commit such offences.
Justice Perera will sentence Pratap at 11.30am today.
